Pin spotter



Aug. 31 1926. 1,597,973

E. HEDENSKOOG PIN SPO'TTER Filed April 25, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 r w l I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I WU N SPOTTER d pril 23, 1924 WW L. 'w I A IN E.HEDENSKOOG P-IN SPOTTER Filed April 23, 1924 s sheets-sheet 5 Aug. 311926.

E. HEDENSKOOG PIN SPOTTER Filed April 25. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4PatentedAug 31, 1926.

5 UNITED STATES PATENT 4 OFFICE.

nmmsr HEDENSKOOG, or musxneou, MIoHIeAn, Assmnon, ro BRUNSWIC -Burrs.COLLENDER COMPANY, 01? CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

PIN SPOTTER.

Application filed April 23, 1924. smart... 708,441.

This invention relates in general to pin setting machines for bowlingalleys, i. e. machines adapted to place the pin in playing position uponthe alley bed.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a pinsetting-machine, which will not require that pins left standing afterthe player has finished his bowling, be removed and replaced in thesetter as a preliminary to the next setting operation. It notinfrequently happens that'less than all of the pins are knocked down inthe play and in the past it has been necessary in every resettingoperation forfthe attendant to take from the alley all of the standingpins and place them, along with those that have been bowled over, intothe pin setter. This removal of. the standing pins has been neces-- saryin order that the setting action of the pin setter might not beinterfered with. In eliminating this action which has heretofore beennecessary, not only is the physical efiort of re-setting the pinsreduced but thetime required in the re-set ting operation is frequently.materially shortened.

Another important object of the invention is the provision'of a pinsetting machine,

which will be readily adj ustable for accurate setting. Occasionally asthe pins wear they are sometimes turned to a slightly smaller diameterand my present invention contemplates that worn pins, either re-turnedor not, will be accurately set upon the spots.

A further and highly important invention is the provision of a pinsetting machine adapted particularly for manual operation by theattendant, of new and improved construction and more easily operated inthe setting action than has usually been the circumstance.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

' On the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pin: setting maehine embodying mypresent in? vention;

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the setter frame and parts carried by it;

in front of the same.

Figs. 4 and 5. are side elevations showing different steps in the pinsetting action;

Fig. 6- is a fragmentary section taken through a pin pocket; and

Fig. 7 isa perspective view of thecontrol frame. 7

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown on the drawingonly so much of the bowling alley as seems'necessary to an understandingthereof. 11 indicates the alley bed and 12 the side walls of the alley.Two uprights 13 are mounted upon the two side walls 12 and these areconnected across their tops by an overhead support or connection 14having socket members 15 into which the tops of the .posts 13 extend. Acrpss member 16 is connected to the posts below the top thereof. Two

forwardly extending arms 18 are arranged bearings 19 for a shaft 21. Asecond shaft 22- is mounted in bearing brackets 23 extending down fromthe underside of the support "14. Two sprocket wheels24 are providedupon shaft 22 and three such sprocket wheels 25 are arranged upon shaft21. The setter frame, indicated generally by 26, is supported from threesprocket chains 27 and 28, there being two chains 28. The chains 28 arefixed to the. two rear corners of the setter frame and extend up overthe sprocket wheels 24 on the shaft 22 and over the two end sprocketwheels 25 to a counterweight 29. The chain 27 is secured to the frontend' of the frame and extends up from the center,

sprocket wheel 25 to such counterweight 29. Two tubes 31 connectedby'cross'bar 17 extend down from the overhead support 14 into slidingengagement with two guide rods 32 at the rear of the setter frame forguiding the pin setter in its setting movement. The'setter frame is oftriangular plan and consists of a lower frame section 33 and an upperframesection 34 connected at inter -vals by, upright connecters 35, allrigidly-- secured together. 'Crossmembers 36 are 'arranged'in the lowerframe section and these carry pin bottom supports 37 arranged inaccordance with the spots on the alley bed but out of registration.therewith and A plurality of pin pockets 38 are pivotally number andarrangement of course corremounted in the upper frame section 34, the Isponding with'the number and arrangement of the pins to be set. Each ofthese pockets has a slightly flaring mouth and each is supportedpivotally at 39, the pivot support being such. that the pockets,unconstrained, assume positions permitting pins standing upon the alleyto pass into them when the frame is lowered and the pocket empty. The;

pivotal connection of each pocket is arranged with respect to thecompanion pin supported so that the pins rest in the pockets in theinclined position shown at the ends of Fig. 4. The pins when so restingin the pockets hold them against movement to the position shown in Fig.5 until the actual setting operation occurs, as will be later explained.

- A control frame,'sh0wn in detail in Fig. 7 is provided to swing thepockets to pinreceiving position when the setter frame is at the top ofits stroke and to move the pins to setter position when the frame is atthe bottom. The action of this control frame will be described in detailpresently.

A plurality of bars 41 are arranged to extend longitudinally of thealley and are contion 34. A lever pivoted at 47 in the upper framesection 34 has one arm 48 connected with the control frame, and a secondarm 49 formed for engagement by a cam pin' 51. When the setter frame ismoved to its upper or. pin receiving position the arm 49 engages Y a campin 51, which is carried by the cross member 17 and the control frame isthrust toward the front of the alley. In this action the studs 45 areengaged with the front ends of the slots 44 and all of the pin pocketsare tilted to present the top or open mouths thereof toward theattendant and the pockets are thus arranged so that pins deposited inthem will rest upon the pin supports. A hand lever or manipulativedevice 52 is pivoted at 53 in the frame'in position tb be pressed uponby the attendant in lowering the frame and a cord or rope 54 wound upona drum on shaft 21 is pulled by the operator to aid in lowering theframe against the counterweight 29.

As the setter frame descends, the surfaces of the arm 49 and the cam.rod 51 disengage and the control frame moves by gravity to the positionshown in Fig. 4. This leaves the pockets free momentarily of the controlof the frame except that empty pockets are prevented from swinging pastthe standing pm receiving position. When the pin setter frame hasarrivedupon the alley bed the attendant pushes forward on the lever 52 swingingthe control frame to the position shown in Fig. 5, bringing all of thepockets to upright position and swinging the pins from the inclinedposition to a vertical one with the pins resting upon the spots. Thebottoms of the pins are slid off the supports and along the alley untilthey are in accurate registration with the spots. The curved interiorfaces of-the pockets are of larger radius than the radius of the pinpart engaged thereby and in this manner centering is accomplished. Asthe frame descends,

standing pins are freely embraced by the pocket without interferencewith the action.

A set screw 61 is positioned through a bracket 62 in position to engagea 111g 63 on the lever 52 to limit and. determine the backward slidingmovement of the pins.

Adjustment of this set screw 61 insures accurate registration of the'pins with the spots and as the pins are made slightly smaller indiameter this readjustment provides adequate compensation. When the pinsetter frame is freed of its charge of pins, it rises under thecounterweight when the attendant grasps the manipulative handle. Thearrangement of the hand lever 32 is such that action by the'attendant isthe natural one now employed'in setting the pins where. such'lever orhandle is not provided. \Vith the pin setter fram'esprior to myinvention I have noticed that when the attendant grasps the handle uponthe rope to pull down he also rests his other hand upon the frame,pushing down with it to supplement the pulling action upon the rope.

It isgthought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing-all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being mere- 1y a'preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim j 1. In a pin setting machine for a bowling alley, a setterframe having a plurality of pivoted pockets adapted to receive the pinsfor depositing upon the alley bed and in accordance with the arrangementof the spots thereon, said frame being adapted to move down into settingposition passing over apin standing on a spot on the alley bed.

2. In a pin setting machine for a bowling alley, the combination of aframe movable vertically toward and from,the alley bed,

and a plurality of pivoted pockets carried by said frame and adapted -toreceive the pins when the frame is in upper position, said p ketspassing over pins left standing on the si pots on the alley bed when theframe descends.

3. In a pin settingmachine for a bowling alley, the combination of aframe movable on 'or adjacent the spots on "the alley bed when the framedescends and servingto-cente-r said standing pins accurately on thespots.

" alley, the combination of a setter frame, a

I alley, the combination of a setter frame, a'

the spots on the alley bed to plurality of pockets pivotally mounted insaid frame, supports in said frame for the bottoms of pins carried insaid-pockets, and

pivots when the frame reaches the alley bed to slide the-pins off thesupports and onto the spots of the alley.

s 5. In a pin setting machine for a bowling alley, the combination of asetter frame, a plurality of pivoted pockets arranged in said frametoreceive the pins, supports for the pins located below said pockets andarranged out of registration with the spots on the alley bed, unoccupiedpockets being capable of swinging by gravity into registration withpermit reception of pins standingthereon.

6. In a pin setting machine for a bowling plurality of pivoted pinreceiving devices therein, means for holding said devices In inclinedrelationprior to thesetting operation and means for releasing saidholding means,

said devices when unoccupied being capable of swinging by gravity'duringthe setting operation to a position permitting their passage over pinsstanding on the alley.

7 In a pin setting machine for a bowling alley, the combination of avertically'mov- V able setter frame, a pluralityof pivoted pin receiving.devices therein, mechanism for causing conjoint movement of saiddevices to spot the pins on the alley bed, and connections betweensaiddevices and said mechanism permitting said devices to assumepredetermined positions intermediate said. ends of the movement. t

8. In a pin setting machine. for a bowling alley, the combination 0 avertically movable setter frame and pin setting devices pivotallymounted in said frame, said devices being individually held in apredetermined position by a pin carried thereby.

9. In a pin setting machine for a bowling alley, the combination ofa'vertically mov'-' able setter frame, pin setting devices mount ed insaid frame, said devices being individually held in a predeterminedposition by a pin carried thereby, andmeans for moving conjointly all ofsaid devices occupied by pins ,when said setter frame arrives at pinsetting position. I

alley, the combination of a vertically movable frame for receiving a setof pins and for setting them upon thefspots of the alley bed, said framecomprising means for supporting the pins in inclined posit on and meansfor engaging pins in a plane extend ing lengthwise of the alley, andmeans for operating the engaged pins to swing the pins ,bodily'olfsaidsupporting means and into position upon the said spots. 4. In a pinsetting machine for a bowling f 11. In a pin setting machine for abowling alley, a movable pin setterframe, pockets movably mounted insaid frame for receiving the pins in inclined position, supports belowthe pockets to be engaged by the pin et control frame mounted inthesetter frame and assuming different positions. as incident to thereception of the pins in.-the setter frame, the travel to the alley bed,and the setting of the pins thereon. a

' 13'. -In a pin setting-machine for a bowling alley, a movable pinsetter frame, plvoted pockets carried therein for receiving the pins, acontrol frame for the pockets, and

\jmeans for moving said control frame to bring the pins into accuratesetting posltion upon the spots of the'alley bed. I

14-. In a pm setting machlne for a bowling alley, a movable setterframe, a plurality of pin .pockets pivotally mounted in the frame, meansfor shifting said pockets to position to receive the pins, means forsupporting the pins in the pockets, and-means for shifting'the'pocketsto dislodge the pins from said supports and spot the pins on the bowlingalley bed.

15. In apin setting machine for a bowling alley, a setter frame, aplurality of pin pockets pivotally gnounted in the frame nearerto thetop than to the bottom of the pockets, means for supporting pins in saidpockets, and means connected with the pockets below their pivots forswinging the pooh ets to dislodge the pins from their supports and'spotthem on the alley bed. 16.; In a pin setting machine for a bowlingalley, a movable setter frame, a plurality ofvpin pockets pivotallymounted in the frame, means located below each pocket and in front ofthe pivot forthe pocket for supporting pins in the pockets, and meansfor shifting the pockets to dislodge the pins fromsaid supports and spotthem on the alley bed. 4

17. In a pin setting, machine for a bowl mg: alley, a movable .setterframe, a .plurahty of pin. pockets pivotally mounted in the frame, thepivot for each pocket being located nearer the top than the bottom andnearer the rear than the front of the pocket, means for supporting thepins in the pock' ets, said means being located below the pockets and infront of the pivots therefor, and means connected with the pockets forshifting the pockets to dislodge the pins from saiii supports and spotthem on the alley bet.

18. In a pin setting machine for a bowling alley, a movable setterframe, a plurality of tubular pin pockets pivotally mounted in theframe, means for positioning said pockets with their upper ends inclinedrearu'ardly to receive the pins, means located below the pockets and infront of 19. In a pin setting machine for a bowling alley, a movablesetter frame, a plurality of pin pockets pivotally mounted in saidframe, said pin pockets being movable 'eonjointly and independently,means for supporting pins in the pockets, and means for swingingtlle'poekets to dislodge the pins from said supports and to spot them onthe alley bed.

ERNEST HEDENSKOOG.

